Photographs
by goshinote
Summary: Set near the end of the Inuyasha saga in the midst of all the chaos with Naraku and Magatsuhi, Kagome comes up with an idea to try and set everyone at ease, at least for just one night, with a little help from the future. One-Shot...Complete!


I've had this idea in the back of my head for a while, but once I started posting Our Own Time, I sorta forgot about it.

Then this morning I suddenly remembered it as I was going over some of my other work, and I sat down and immediately began writing it so I wouldn't forget again ;)

This fic is set during the Final Act right after the episode entitled The Day of Days.

Without further ado, here's Photographs.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters. All rights to Rumiko Takahashi.

 **Photographs:**

It seemed like we were always busy nowadays.

There was so much going on lately with Naraku and Magatsuhi that none of us ever seemed to be able to take a break to just breathe.

I set a firm resolve to change that. We needed at least one fun thing to happen.

One night while everyone was busy in Kaede's house, I got an idea.

"Sango-chan," I whispered to the taijiya sitting next to me. "Keep Inuyasha busy. I'm going home for a little while." Sango nodded.

"Inuyasha?" she said. "Can you help me out with Hiraikotsu? I think it might have some sort of yokai residue on it." Inuyasha nodded and came over to take a look. Once Inuyasha seemed distracted enough, I quickly headed to the well.

It was really late, so I quietly made my way out of the well and to the front door of my house. Just before I opened the door, I felt a hand set on my shoulder.

I jumped about ten feet in the air.

Doing my best to stifle a scream, I turned around ready to fight.

Instead, I was face-to-face with Inuyasha.

I took a breath of relief. "Oh, it's you," I said. "Thank goodness."

Inuyasha smirked. "Glad to see you're happy to see me," he replied. "But I'm ticked off that you thought you could come home right before we head out." His smirk died off. "We have to leave tomorrow, Kagome. This crap can't wait too much longer." I rolled my eyes and frowned.

"Not that you can decide what I do," I began, "but I was going to come home within the hour. I just needed to grab something from my room." Inuyasha hesitated, and I knew he was still annoyed.

"Fine," he replied. "But we're going in through your window. No sense in waking up your family if we're not staying." I nodded and we headed toward the back of the house.

I climbed on Inuyasha's back and he jumped onto the roof. The window was unlocked as usual. I never knew when Inuyasha would turn up.

Once we were safely inside my room, I went over to my nightstand and opened one of the drawers.

"Aha," I said when I found what I was looking for. Inuyasha peered over my shoulder.

"What is that thing?" he asked.

I help up the small canvas bag that I kept my digital camera in. I gently took the camera out and showed Inuyasha.

He took in the smooth silver of the camera curiously. "It's a camera," I said as I grabbed some extra batteries. "What does it do?" Inuyasha asked.

"It takes pictures," I explained. "You know how people paint pictures in the Feudal Era? This camera does that automatically without any ink or paint." Even though I knew he wouldn't admit it because he was still annoyed that I came home, Inuyasha looked truly interested.

"Do you want to try it?" I asked. Inuyasha couldn't help himself; he nodded.

"Okay, I replied. "But we should do it outside because it makes a clicking noise when it takes a picture."

We climbed back out on the roof, and I poised the camera to take a picture of Inuyasha.

"Smile!" I said as I took a picture of him before he had time to protest. "Hey!" Inuyasha protested.

I pulled up the picture of him on the small screen of the camera. I immediately started giggling.

Inuyasha's face was pulled down in a frown and his arms were crossed. "Look," I said as I showed him. Inuyasha's frown deepened. "Huh," he said. I giggled and climbed on his back.

"Let's get back to Kaede's house," I said. "I want to show everyone else the camera." Inuyasha jumped down without another word and we made our way to the well.

When we made it back to the village, everyone was preparing to leave the next morning. Sango was polishing her Hiraikotsu and Miroku was meditating. Shippo was sucking on a lollipop and Kaede was stirring some soup. Even though it was late, I knew we were all too worried to sleep.

"We're back!" I chirped as Inuyasha and I walked back into Kaede's house. Sango looked at me sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, Kagome-chan," she said. "I tried to keep him here." Inuyasha scoffed.

"As if you could control me," Inuyasha grumbled. I waved off Inuyasha's annoyed attitude.

"Look what I brought!" I shouted over Inuyasha's muttered complaints. Everyone focused on the camera in my hands.

"What is that?" Miroku asked. I held up the camera. "It takes pictures," I replied. "Look." I pulled up the picture I had taken of Inuyasha and showed everyone. They all dissolved into laughter.

"That looks just like him!" Shippo exclaimed. I chuckled. "That's because it _is_ him," I replied. Shippo's eyes widened and he stared at the small screen in awe.

"Wow," he said. "Amazing." I smiled.

"Can I take one of you?" I asked. "I want to have some pictures of you all." I didn't say it out loud, but I wanted to have something to remember them by…just in case.

"Sure!" Shippo replied. I positioned the camera on him and made sure it was focused.

"Okay," I said. "Smile!" Shippo grinned widely and I snapped the picture. His grin widened when he saw it.

"That's so cool!" he hollered. I laughed and held the camera up.

"Who's next?" I asked.

We spent the next hour or so just taking pictures of each other. I took some of Kaede and Shippo together, Inuyasha with his ever-present frown, and I tried to catch a nice snap of Miroku and Sango, but instead I got a shot of him rubbing her bum.

Everyone was laughing, and even Inuyasha cracked a few smiles.

"Kagome," Shippo said. "Can I try and take a picture?" I nodded and handed him the camera. Once I showed him how to use it, he held it up and started snapping pictures like a madman.

I giggled at his excitement, but Inuyasha just rolled his eyes. I turned to him and tugged on his sleeve.

"Oh, come on, Inuyasha," I said. "Just admit that you're having fun." Inuyasha looked at me, and to my pleasant surprise, he smiled genuinely.

"Alright, fine," he finally admitted. "This isn't the worst thing I've ever been a part of." I laughed and took his hand to give it a gentle squeeze.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" I asked. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but the smile stayed on his face.

The fun was had, but soon everyone was worn out.

Once everyone was asleep, I sat up and grabbed the camera to look through the pictures. I began at the beginning and started the automatic slideshow. I smiled at the plethora of photos of everyone.

I looked at sweet candids of Miroku smiling sheepishly at Sango after copping a feel. I saw Shippo sucking on a lollipop as he hugged Kaede. Inuyasha's frown was in most of the pictures of him, but there were a few where he was smiling. Then I came across the pictures that Shippo had taken and found the one that was immediately my favorite.

Inuyasha and I were sitting next to each other hand-in-hand. We were looking at each other, me with a bright smile on my face and Inuyasha with a soft grin on his. It was one of those rare moments when Inuyasha was wearing an open expression…and it was directed at me.

That picture radiated one thing: love.

I looked over at the sleeping hanyo across the room. We had almost kissed in my room the other day, and this picture confirmed what I knew that moment had meant.

I loved him. And he loved me.

Kawaiiiiiiiii, right?

Much love. :)


End file.
